Improvement in bridles



UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

IMPROVEMENT INu BRIDLES.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent N o. 56,213, dated July 10,1866.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOSEPH C. HAINES, of Lewistown, in the county ofMifflin and State of Pennsylvania, have invented a new and ImprovedSafety-Bridle 5 and I do hereby declare the following to be a full,clear, and exact description of the nature, construction, and operationof the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, which aremade part of this specication, and in Which- Figure l is a side View ofthe horses head with my improved safety-bridle applied, the severalparts being shown in their normal position. Fig. 2 is a similar View,showing the parts in the position which they are made toA assume whenthe animal requires a very tight rein or a severe exercise of the bit.Figs. 3, 4, and 5 are detail views, illustrating' the operation of myimproved device.

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in the severalfigures.

This invention consists in providing the drivin g-rein with shiftingbearings, which form the points of attachment between the rein andbit-rings, and thus act upon the bit directly, when easy and steadydriving will control the animal 5 but when the animal requires a moresevere application of the bit said bearings leave the bit-rings and giveway to the straps to which they may be attached, such straps thus drawninto the bit-rings enabling the draft of the reins to be applied to thebit much more eifectively and powerfully and in a different direction,as will be presently explained.

The following description, in connection with the accompanying drawings,will enable others acquainted with the art to which my inventionappertains to fully understand and use the same.

A may represent the driving-rein, and B the bit. C is the bit-ring, towhich the check-strap D isrepresented as attached in customary manner. Eis a strap, which may be connected with the bearing-rein Fandthroat-latch G, as shown.

At the point of connection between the drivin g-rein A and bit-ring C, Iprovide a bearing, H, which may consist of a small bent piece of met-alshaped substantially as seen in Fig. 5. This bea-ring may be attached atone end to the rein A by the ring I, and at its other end to the strapE. Now, so long as an ordinary pull or draft on the rein is employed tocontrol the horse the bearing H rests in the bit-ring C and the pullupon the rein is applied directly from said bearing to the bit; but incase a very tightrein is required to check the horse the bearing H ispulled out of the bit-ring, and, in moving backward, draws the strap Einto the bit-rin g, as represented in Fig. 2. The strap E, having afixed point of attachment at the top of the horses head, is adapted toact with much greater force upon the bit B than a direct connectionbetween the rein and bit, and hence the animal is checked with facilitywhen the strap E is in action. As soon as the rein is slacked the easingmovement of the bit causes the bearing H to resume its position in thebitring C.

The bearing H need not be made of metal, as a stiff curve or recess inthe leather' at the point of juncture between the driving-rein andbit-ring may be made to operate in the same way.

It is also immaterial whether the bearing H be connected to anindependent strap, such as E, or to the check-strap D.

Having thus described my invention, the following is what I claim as newand desire to secure by Letters Patent:

Providing the driving-rein with bearing, H, arranged and operatingsubstantially as and for the purposes herein set forth.

W. F. HALL, OorAvIUs KNIGHT.

a shifting

